This video shows the break up of Yugoslavia during the turbulent 1990s. The political borders of the separate states is illustrated as every war takes place and information regarding the changes is given at the bottom.
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| A map showing what Yugoslavia looked like after it broke up, and the different ethnic groups which occupied each area. |
Events that led to the break-up of the communist state of Yugoslavia were the most violent seen in Europe since the end of the Second World War. During a ten year period beginning with the war in Slovenia in 1991 though to the Macedonia conflict in 2001, more than 140 000 people were killed. The wars were characterized by an unusual brutality, that included ethnic cleansing, systematic rape and the deliberate destruction of priceless historical and cultural artifacts.
The reasons for the violence revolve around the fundamental weaknesses in the concept of Yugoslavism itself. The country was made up of six republics; Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. What had held Yugoslavia together was not the common ethnic identity of 'South Slavism' (what Yugoslavia means) but rather the Marxist ideology, economic prosperity and the leadership of Jozip Broz Tito. When Tito died in 1980, the economy was already starting to decline and the Marxist ideology that was the "glue that held Yugoslavia together" was disintegrating. The different Yugoslav states already had clear visions for the future of Yugoslavia.
On June 25, 1991, Slovenia and Croatia became the first republics to declare independence from Yugoslavia. With well established borders and no significant ethnic minority groupings, Slovenian independence presented relatively few problems. In contrast, Croatia with its significant Serbian minority and history of anti-Serbian persecution, could only declare independence at the expense of Serbian national feeling. The Former Republic of Yugoslavia recognised Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996. The declaration of independence of the Republic of Kosovo was in February 2008.
The reasons for the violence revolve around the fundamental weaknesses in the concept of Yugoslavism itself. The country was made up of six republics; Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. What had held Yugoslavia together was not the common ethnic identity of 'South Slavism' (what Yugoslavia means) but rather the Marxist ideology, economic prosperity and the leadership of Jozip Broz Tito. When Tito died in 1980, the economy was already starting to decline and the Marxist ideology that was the "glue that held Yugoslavia together" was disintegrating. The different Yugoslav states already had clear visions for the future of Yugoslavia.
On June 25, 1991, Slovenia and Croatia became the first republics to declare independence from Yugoslavia. With well established borders and no significant ethnic minority groupings, Slovenian independence presented relatively few problems. In contrast, Croatia with its significant Serbian minority and history of anti-Serbian persecution, could only declare independence at the expense of Serbian national feeling. The Former Republic of Yugoslavia recognised Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996. The declaration of independence of the Republic of Kosovo was in February 2008.
